Incheon Int'l Airport sees record passenger numbers in 1st half of 2025

Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport is crowded with outbound travelers, Wednesday. Newsis

INCHEON — Incheon International Airport reached new heights in the first half of 2025, setting a record for international passenger volume as global travel demand continues to surge, according to the Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) Thursday.

Between January and June, the country's main airport welcomed 36.36 million passengers and managed 207,959 flights — marking its busiest six-month period since opening in 2001.

The passenger tally marks a 2.3 percent increase from prepandemic levels in 2019 and a 6.1 percent rise compared to the first half of 2024. Officials attributed the growth largely to strong demand for short-haul flights to neighboring countries, particularly Japan and China.

International routes to Japan remained especially popular, drawing approximately 9.34 million travelers — a 9.3 percent increase over the same period last year.

Demand for travel to China also surged, fueled by the extension of temporary visa waivers for Koreans. Routes to China carried 5.75 million passengers, a 24.3 percent increase over the same period last year.

Riding the wave of passenger growth, Incheon airport expects its first-half revenue to reach 1.35 trillion won ($971.7 million), up about 12 percent from a year ago, with non-aviation revenue surging 16.2 percent to 858.8 billion won.

The airport adjusted its full-year forecast for international passengers to between 73 million and 76 million, reflecting the ongoing recovery of overseas travel and adjustments to service capacity.

With the peak summer vacation season of July 25 to Aug. 10 approaching, the airport anticipates daily passenger numbers to average 227,000 — a 4 percent increase over the Lunar New Year holiday and 6.5 percent higher than last summer.

In response, the IIAC plans to expand early security screening by adding personnel, increasing self check-in and baggage self-drop-off counters, and operating dedicated departure lanes for Smart Pass, which is the airport’s biometric identification system. It also plans to adjust parking capacity and expand late-night bus services.

IIAC President Lee Hag-jae stressed the airport’s commitment to safety and convenience.

“We will prioritize passenger comfort and secure operations as we strengthen our role as a global hub. Through digital transformation and network expansion, Incheon is preparing for an era of serving 100 million travelers annually,” he said.